10 Uses for Botox That Aren't Wrinkle-Related

Botox is a safe and effective treament for migraines. Juan Silva/Getty Images

About 12 percent of Americans get migraine headaches, which can cause intense, throbbing pain that's often accompanied by nausea and sensitivity to light and sound. Worse, the symptoms can last for hours, and chronic sufferers often experience migraines for at least two weeks out of every month. This can interfere with work, family life and just about everything else [source: Hendrick].

Migraines also can be frustratingly difficult to treat. That's why in the early 2000s, researchers began giving patients Botox injections around the eyes, forehead, jaw and other locations. The general idea was that the toxin, which disrupts pain messages to the brain, could prevent migraine pain [sources: ScienceDaily, Patz]. In 2010, the FDA approved Botox injections, given every 12 weeks, as a treatment for the most severe migraine patients.

Since then, Botox injections have become a common treatment for migraines, and in 2016, the American Academy of Neurology recognized them as a safe and effective treatment [source: HealthDay News].